Drag link



Ama 29 3.924.,

* 492,3@ R. E. KLAGES DRAG LINK Filed March 18, 1922 36 4mm@ i H ,i www@ retenes est., ae, ieee.

'srArus BMNL'D E, KLAGES, U5 COLUMBUS, OHIO.

DRAG' LINK.

.application led March 18, 1932. Serial H0. 544,828.

To all 'whom it may concer/n.'

Be it known that l, RnrNoLn E. limone, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Columbus, county ot Franklin, and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Drag Links, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which the invention relates to make and use the same, reference being made therein to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to connecting links and means for lubricating the joints associated therewith.

Une of the objects of the invention is the provision of a connecting link that is cheap to manufacture, easily assembled, eficient and reliable in operation, and one that is not likely to get out of order or become distorted, lbent or broken while in use.

Another object of the invention is the provision of new and improved means for direct lubrication of ball and socket joints and similar pivotal connections, especially those employed on drag links and similar connecting or tie rods.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a lubricant receptacle for the joints of drag links and similar devices together with a novel manner of attaching the grease cups thereto.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will appear as the descripl tion proceeds.

For convenience of description and simplicit in illustration the invention is disclose as bein embodied in a drag link for automobiles. lt is understood, however, that its use is not so limited, as the link may be used for other purposes, and the lubricating features are capable of use in connection with joints of dierent types employed in various other relations.

Fignre pien view ci a dra link;

Figure is a sectional view o the left hand end thereof, parts broken awa Figure 3 is a sectional view ot t e ri ht hand end ot the link shown in. Figure 1, with parts broken away; and

Figure e is a sectional form ofdubricating device.

0n the' drawing, the reference numeral 10 desi ates a connecting link, having the body portion 11 and the enlarged ends l2 detail of a modied4 and 13 integrally connected thereto by the connecting portions or shoulders 14. The thickness of the walls of the body portion is greater than that of the ends, but less than lthat of the shoulder portions.

Observation and experience indicate that that portion of a drag link that is most likely to break is that art that connects the body portion to the en arged ends as atthe shoulders 14. rlhis is probably due to ruptures in the material due to vbending the same in forming the link, and also to the fact that the strain or 'force exerted on the link at this point, while it is in use, is at an angle to the grain of the metal. In order to overcome thetendency to break at this point, the thickness of the wall at the shoulder is preferably made greater than that 'of the body portion. The thickness of the Walls of the enlarged ends may be less than that of the body portion since the increase in the diameter of the enlarged ends will permit the walls to be made thinner without dezrelsing the strength of these portions of the The enlarged ends 12 and 13 are each internall threaded at their outer ends to receive tiie threaded plugs l5 and 16 held in adjusted position by cotter pins 15a --and 16a engaging the slots 17 in the ends thereof. These enlarged ends are also provided with the usual key-hole openings 18, 18 having the enlarged ortion for the reception of the ball or spherical ends 19, 19n of the arms or links 20, 2()n of the steering mechanism. These openings may be arranged at an angle from each other about the circumference of the link as is common in such constructions. v

The tubular link is provided adjacent each end thereof with a closure whereby a lubri cant pocket or reservoir is formed. The link is also provided adjacent the ends thereof with an abutment member. Where these -two devices are both employed together they may be combined in a smgle element as shown on thedrawings, wherein the abutment members 23 and`24 are provided with engage the ,open end` of the l secured by ressure or in any;` other suitable manner. ese members have their reservoirs opening outwardly and are provided at their outer ends withA the llanges 25 and 26 against which the ball holding devices are adapted to `engage.

The abutment or' reservoir members are f betweenv the abutments may be more easily" determined and more `accurately made than where the shoulders' themselves are employed as abutment members.y

A socket block 27 is employed in the enlargement at one end of the link, see Figure 3. This socket block is provided on one' side with a concave surface 28 forming al ball seat'o'r -journal and on its other side, with a reduced stem portion 29, and 'is adapted to abut against said iange 25 with its stem 29 engaging in and forming a closure for the outer end of the lubricant reser` voir member 23. The block 27 is provided with an axial opening v30 through which lubricant may pass from the reservoir onto the Vbearing surface 28 of said block. j

Located in the outer portion of the enlarged end 13 is a movable socket block v31, havin `the concave bearing surface 32 for engaging the ball 19 in the usual manner. This block is provided with a stem, bosser centering projection 33. In order to cushion the movement of the rod or link in one direction, a sprin 34 is plrovided which engages `at one en about t e boss 33 for positioning thel block and abuts at its other end against the lug 15, as is usual in such constructions. he compression of the s ring 34 may be adjusted to vary the c amping action of the blocksv 27 and 31 on the ball 19 by means of the adjustable plug 15, as is well understood in the art.

Thl enlarged end 12 of the link is also rovided with socket blocks 35 and 36, sce i re 2, which are adapted to engage the ba-H19* on the arm 20* of the -steering mechanism in a manner similar to the correspondin socket blocks 27 and 31 respectively at t e otherend of the link.

The socket block 35 is similar in construction to the block 31 and is interchangeabletherewith. The rojection 37 for positioning the block 35, owever, isY adapted tov 'be seated in a recess 38 in the lug 16. T@

block 36 is provided with an e ongated stem 39, the end of which is ada ted to slidably ubricant reservoir 24 and form a closure therefor. The block 36 and stem 39 'are axially apertured to provide a passage 40 for conducting the lubricant from the reservoir 24 to the ball joint. A sprin 41 corresponding to the spring 34 lexten ing about the stem 39 and in engagementwith the flange 26 is adapted to resilently hold the block 36 in engagement with the ball 19a on the arm 20. This arrangement of the spring permits a cushioning action inthe opposite direction from that obtained by the spring 34, as is the common practice in such devices. The clamping action of the blocks may be varied by adjusting the plug 16. y

Any suitable means may be provided for introducing the l bricant into the reservoirs. Heretofor ,i the conduits and passages for the lubricant have been madevin the enlarged ends of the link. This arrangement, however, necessitates a special construction for the attachment of the grease cups, because the walls of the enlarged portions ofthe tube are not suiiciently thick to provide the necessary threaded surface, in order to properly support the grease cups. Moreover, Where the grease cups are located on the enlarged portion of the link, theyy are limited to definite locations thereon due to the slots therein, and consequently the 1ubricant is not delivered directly to theAbearing surfaces, but is delivered on those portions of the balls that dust and grit. j

In the present construction apertures 42, 43 are provided in the body ortion of the link, the thickness of the wall of this portion of the tube being such as to aord a suiiicient length for screw threads to retain the oil or grease conduits therein.

Any suitable lubricant conduits for conducting the lubricant to the reservoirs may be employed. As shown on the drawings, the usual oil or grease cups 44, 45 havin their lower'ends screw-threaded are secure in the apertures 42 and 43 for this purpose. The reservoirs are provided with apertures that register with the apertures in said body portion. If desired, these apertures may be also screw-threaded to engage the screwthreaded end of the oil cups; in such event the screw-threaded ends of the oil cu will assist in retaining the reservoirs ri i y in position in their seats within the body portion.

Attention is directed to the fact that by the use of lubricant reservoirs the grease cu s mai1 be located on the body portion of the lin itself. This is an important feature of the invention because it permits the location of the grease cups at auf(r point about the circumference of the lin Moreover,

are exposed to dirt,

the passages through the wall ofthe link do' not weaken the sanie .because they occur at pointe where the reservoirs reinforce the link due to the frictional contact between the two. Moreover, by this arrangement the lubricant may-benelivered directly to the bearing surfaces, thus insuring proper lu-` brication of those parts.

These apertures may be located at any convenient point about the circumference of the body portion of the link. They are preferably arranged on the top side of the link where access may be conveniently had to them, and where the grease cups 44, screw-threaded therein may be out of the way and interfered with the least,

In Figure 4 is shown a modied form of lubricating device. This form differs from that shown in Fi ure 2, for instance, in thatl a wick 45 is emp oyed in the passage 40 of the block 39 to conduct the lubricant from the reservoir 24 to the ball 19. The usual spring 47 for resiliently holding the Wick against the ball 19 may be employed, if desired. The block 27 may also be provided with a similar arrangement if desired.

It is thought from the foregoingtaken in connection with the accompanying drawings that the construction and operation of my device will be apparent to those-skilled in the art, and that various changes in size, shape, proportion and details of construction ma be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, a

'tubular body portion, a tubular end portion,

a shoulder portion connecting said bod and end portion, a bearing within said en por tion, a thrust member recessed to form a lubricant reservoir closednat its inner end and extending into said body portion and means for conducting lubricant throu h the side walls of said body portion into t e re cess of said thrust member.

2. In a connecting link, a body portion, enlarged ends secured to said body portion, an abutment member forminga lubricant reservoir rigidly secured to said body portion and provided with a bearing located within one of said enlar ed ends, substantially as shown and descri d.

l larged tubular end 3. In a connecting'link, a tubular body portion, enlarged tubular end portions, tubuar shoulder portions connect said end portions to said body portion, sai body portion being (provided with a seat at each end thereof, an abutment members having their ends rigidly secured in said seats, bearings associated with said abutments, and located within Said enlarged ends in spaced relation to said shoulders.

4. In a connecting link, a tubular body portion, enlarged tubular end portions, shoulders connecting said body and end portions, abutment members secured to said body portion and having bearings asso'cf ated therewith located in said enlargedend portions, and. lubricant reservoirs associated with said abutment members.

5. In a connecting link, a tubular body ortion, tubular end ortions secured to lsaid ody portion, sho ders connecting said body and end portions, tapered seats in said body ing tapere ends secured in said seats, said abutments free from said shoulders and provided with lubricant reservoirs therein, bearing members associated with said abutment members and provided with apertures in communication with said reservoirs, substantially as shown and described.

6. In a connectin link of the class described, a tubular body portion provided with tapered seats at each end thereof, ensortions, shoulder portions connecting sai end portions to said bodyl ortion, abutment members havin tapered stems frictionally secured in said tapered seats,s bearing members associated wlth said abutment'. members for engaging balls associated with the steering vmechanism of an automobile, said abutments provided with lubricant reservoirs having' passages in communication with said bear'm s and lubricant members secured in the bo portion of said link for conducting lubricant to said reservoir, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I aix m signature.

REYNOLD E. GES.

(portion, abutment members hav v 

